1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method and device for extracting and/or collection of biological fluid from animal organs. In particular, the present invention relates to an umbilical cord blood extraction and/or collection method, device and/or system. In particular the invention generally relates to a device for extracting and/or collecting of umbilical cord blood to yield useful volumes of blood from a delivered placenta and/or umbilical cord.
2. Background of the Invention
It is well known that umbilical cord blood or UCB, is an increasingly important and rich source of stem cells. It is known that stem cells can divide to create new red blood cells which carry oxygen to the brain, new white blood cells used in a bodies immune system and new platelets which can assist in blood clotting. It is currently estimated that stem cells can be used for the treatment of over 45 malignant and non-malignant diseases. Such may include certain cancers such as leukaemia and immune and genetic disorders.
UCB may also provide a readily available source of stem cells for transplantation in many situations where bone marrow is currently used. Hence the use of UCB instead of other sources of stem cells such as for example bone marrow and peripheral blood has many advantages. Such may include for example the reduction or elimination of risk involved in the collection of UCB.
UCB is also easier to collect and harvest without the risks associated with general anaesthesia required for the purposes of extracting bone marrow. UCB is also readily available when needed if it is properly collected and stored at birth. It has been found that UCB is also more often compatible to a person when used in transplants. Furthermore UCB has a lower procurement cost. It has also been demonstrated that UCB has broader potential clinical applications for improving neural repair and bone and tissue growth.
As such the importance of UCB is now widely recognised. Blood centres worldwide may collect and store UCB after delivery of a baby subject to the parents consent or request. The UCB may become extremely useful and indispensable at a later stage in life in saving the life of the new born baby. However one problem associated with UCB is that its collection appears to be a one time possibility and the amount of blood that can be collected is limited using current blood collection technology. Such current blood collection technology may include syringe assisted and gravity assisted methods.
A few studies have been conducted including for example that published by Bertolini F., Lazzari L., Lauri E. et al. Comparative study of different procedures for the collection and banking of umbilical cord blood. J Hematother 1995:4:29-36. Such methods are manually carried out. As well as the task being tedious and difficult to achieve the current ways of extracting the blood also creates inherent risk of unnecessary contamination.
According to McCullough J., Herr G., Lennon S. et al. Factors influencing the availability of umbilical cord blood for banking and transplantation. Transfusion 1998:38:508-510, the current ways of UCB collection typically recovers 20-40 ml. Apart from obstetric factors such as infant weight and time of collection, the procedure involved and the equipment used to perform the collection influence the final yield.
There is therefore a need in the art for an umbilical cord blood collection apparatus which can effectively yield an increased volume of blood from a delivered placenta when compared to some of the prior art known.